Iago. What,
If I had said I had seen him do you wrong?
Or heard him say,—as knaves be such abroad,
Who having, by their own importunate suit,
Or voluntary dotage of some mistress,
2440Convinced or supplied them, cannot choose
But they must blab—

Othello. Lie with her! lie on her! We say lie on her, when
they belie her. Lie with her! that's fulsome.
—Handkerchief—confessions—handkerchief!—To
confess, and be hanged for his labour;—first, to be
2455hanged, and then to confess.—I tremble at it.
Nature would not invest herself in such shadowing
passion without some instruction. It is not words
that shake me thus. Pish! Noses, ears, and lips.
—Is't possible?—Confess—handkerchief!—O devil!—
2460

Iago. No, forbear;
The lethargy must have his quiet course:
If not, he foams at mouth and by and by
2475Breaks out to savage madness. Look he stirs:
Do you withdraw yourself a little while,
He will recover straight: when he is gone,
I would on great occasion speak with you.
[Exit CASSIO]2480How is it, general? have you not hurt your head?

Iago. Good sir, be a man;
Think every bearded fellow that's but yoked
2490May draw with you: there's millions now alive
That nightly lie in those unproper beds
Which they dare swear peculiar: your case is better.
O, 'tis the spite of hell, the fiend's arch-mock,
To lip a wanton in a secure couch,
2495And to suppose her chaste! No, let me know;
And knowing what I am, I know what she shall be.

Iago. Stand you awhile apart;
Confine yourself but in a patient list.
2500Whilst you were here o'erwhelmed with your grief—
A passion most unsuiting such a man—
Cassio came hither: I shifted him away,
And laid good 'scuse upon your ecstasy,
Bade him anon return and here speak with me;
2505The which he promised. Do but encave yourself,
And mark the fleers, the gibes, and notable scorns,
That dwell in every region of his face;
For I will make him tell the tale anew,
Where, how, how oft, how long ago, and when
2510He hath, and is again to cope your wife:
I say, but mark his gesture. Marry, patience;
Or I shall say you are all in all in spleen,
And nothing of a man.

Iago. That's not amiss;
But yet keep time in all. Will you withdraw?
[OTHELLO retires]2520Now will I question Cassio of Bianca,
A housewife that by selling her desires
Buys herself bread and clothes: it is a creature
That dotes on Cassio; as 'tis the strumpet's plague
To beguile many and be beguiled by one:
2525He, when he hears of her, cannot refrain
From the excess of laughter. Here he comes:
[Re-enter CASSIO]As he shall smile, Othello shall go mad;
And his unbookish jealousy must construe
2530Poor Cassio's smiles, gestures and light behavior,
Quite in the wrong. How do you now, lieutenant?

Cassio. The worser that you give me the addition
Whose want even kills me.

Iago. Ply Desdemona well, and you are sure on't.
2535[Speaking lower]Now, if this suit lay in Bianco's power,
How quickly should you speed!

Cassio. She was here even now; she haunts me in every place.
I was the other day talking on the sea-bank with
certain Venetians; and thither comes the bauble,
2565and, by this hand, she falls me thus about my neck—

Cassio. 'Tis such another fitchew! marry a perfumed one.
[Enter BIANCA]What do you mean by this haunting of me?

Bianca. Let the devil and his dam haunt you! What did you
mean by that same handkerchief you gave me even now?
2580I was a fine fool to take it. I must take out the
work?—A likely piece of work, that you should find
it in your chamber, and not know who left it there!
This is some minx's token, and I must take out the
work? There; give it your hobby-horse: wheresoever
2585you had it, I'll take out no work on't.

Othello. Ay, let her rot, and perish, and be damned to-night;
for she shall not live: no, my heart is turned to
stone; I strike it, and it hurts my hand. O, the
world hath not a sweeter creature: she might lie by
2615an emperor's side and command him tasks.

Othello. Ay; you did wish that I would make her turn:
Sir, she can turn, and turn, and yet go on,
And turn again; and she can weep, sir, weep;
2700And she's obedient, as you say, obedient,
Very obedient. Proceed you in your tears.
Concerning this, sir,—O well-painted passion!—
I am commanded home. Get you away;
I'll send for you anon. Sir, I obey the mandate,
2705And will return to Venice. Hence, avaunt!
[Exit DESDEMONA]Cassio shall have my place. And, sir, tonight,
I do entreat that we may sup together:
You are welcome, sir, to Cyprus.—Goats and monkeys!
2710

[Exit]

Lodovico. Is this the noble Moor whom our full senate
Call all in all sufficient? Is this the nature
Whom passion could not shake? whose solid virtue
The shot of accident, nor dart of chance,
2715Could neither graze nor pierce?

Iago. 'Faith, that was not so well; yet would I knew
That stroke would prove the worst!

Lodovico. Is it his use?
2725Or did the letters work upon his blood,
And new-create this fault?

Iago. Alas, alas!
It is not honesty in me to speak
What I have seen and known. You shall observe him,
2730And his own courses will denote him so
That I may save my speech: do but go after,
And mark how he continues.